Laundry baskets are very useful for carrying clothes to and from the washer and dryer. Typical laundry baskets are designed to be carried in front of the body due to their large sizes and awkwardly positioned handles. When these large laundry baskets are filled with clothes, it is hard to transport the basket around the house, especially up and down sets of stairs. Due to the size of the laundry basket and the total weight when filled with clothes, most people must exert significant energy to carry the basket up and down stairs with both arms in front of their body. This method of carrying of a heavy laundry basket presents a safety concern, especially while traversing a flight of stairs. Moreover, retail baskets, while relatively lightweight, are difficult to carry around even after a small amount of time. Retail baskets are provided by retailers for customers to help them carry multiple merchandise items while they continue to shop. However, the handles of the retail baskets tend to cause discomfort around a user's arm because they are thin, metal handles that can pinch down on a user's skin when it is carried.
Thus, a need exists for an apparatus and method for a receptacle having comfortable locking handles and an elongated profile for carrying a heavy load at a side of a user.